The manufacturer of windows and patio doors from extruded vinyl material is well known and has become widely accepted. Vinyl has grown considerably and has a number of advantages over other materials such as wood, metal (primarily aluminium) and glass fiber reinforced materials.
Most commercial window systems at this time require an opening sash section within an outer frame so that the user can open the windows when required. Such windows can include hinges and a pivotal action but these are disadvantageous in that it is necessary for the sash to pivot away from the plane of the main frame leaving it vulnerable to damage and also requiring space either in the interior or the exterior of the building to receive the pivoted sash section.
It is desirable therefore to manufacture windows where there is an outer frame within with the sash section are mounted for sliding movement since these sliding windows are therefore protected within the out main frame and do not take up any additional space in the sliding action since one merely slides in front of the other. Both sections can slide or one section may be stationary and one or more other sections slide relative to the stationary section.
Each sliding windows can be mounted for vertical sliding movement in which case the windows are known as “Double-hung” sash windows in that both sliding sections can slide vertically within the frame in the control of a spring mechanism mounted in the outer main frame which resists the sliding movement to hold the sash at a selected position within the outer frame.
Alternatively the sash windows can be of the horizontal sliding type where the sash windows slide along receptacles defined by the outer main frame. The outer main frame requires less structural elements since it is not necessary to receive any support components for the sash windows since they merely rest in the bottom track or receptacle for horizontal sliding movement to a required position.
Many manufacturers thus provide both a vertical sliding system and a horizontal sliding system manufactured as a system where the structure of the sash frame is a common component to both systems since it requires to support the glass and at the same time simply to slide in the tracks defined by the vertical or horizontal sliding outer frame structure.
Manufacturers therefore often attempt to manufacture this system using a minimum number of separate extruded profiles so as to minimize the complexity of the system, minimize inventory and minimize the amount of tooling necessary for the individual parts.
One example of a double-hung vertical sliding system is shown in U.S. Pat. No. 5,042,199 by the present inventor assigned to Rehau Ag and issued Aug. 27, 1991.
It is commonly known to provide additional profile elements which can snap into engagement with the main frame construction. Thus for example in FIG. 6 of the above patent, there is shown a main frame component which provides the necessary channels or tracks for sliding the sash windows but his can also co-operate with an additional component which snaps into place over the channel or tracks to provide a sill for the structure at the bottom.
For convenience of description, windows are described herein utilizing the term “inner” or “inwardly” in a direction from the frame toward a center of the window in the window plane. Symmetrically the term “outer” or “outwardly” is used in the opposite direction from the center of the window toward the outer frame. To distinguish from these terms, the terms “inside” and “outside” are used in respect of directions at right angles to the plane of the window toward the inside of the building or toward the outside of the building respectively within which the window is mounted. These terms are used consistently throughout the description and Claims here in so as to assist in distinguishing the various components and their locations relative to one another.